Beautiful Ride
by IluvNCIS
Summary: sequel to Seems Like a Lifetime. Takes place 4 months after Seems like a Lifetime ends.
1. Chapter 1

Authors Note: This is the fourth installment of the Things Change series, I'd advise you to read the first three stories before reading this one. Thanks for reading. I used part of the song "Some People" performed by LeAnn Rimes in the chapter.

Lucky?

This was it, the day Kate would turn in her notice that she would be leaving NCIS. Although she knew she was making the right choice part of her was reluctant to leave. After all had she never came to NCIS she would have never met Tony and they never would have gotten married and had their three children. So many memories came back to Kate of her first few years working at NCIS. She thought of the constant flirting between her and Tony those first two years, the friendship that developed between her and Abby, all of Ducky's boring stories. But mostly her thoughts and memories were of her and Tony.

Isn't it a gamble…

Laying your heart out on the floor…

Nothing short of a miracle…

When you find the one you're looking for…

It's another kind of trouble trying to hang on to who you are…

When all you want to do is lose yourself in someone else's arms…

Isn't it a wonder that we got this far…

Some people aren't lucky like us…

Some people just give up…

When the hard times fall…

And the thrill of it all is gone…

They leave it in a cloud of dust…

It's sad to think that some won't find it…

And others won't recognize even when it comes…

We're all at the mercy of the will of love…

Some people yeah…

Some people aren't lucky like us…

Kate couldn't hold it back anymore as the tears began to fall. Tony headed over to her desk but she met him half way. He pulled her close. "What's wrong?" Tony asked. "I can't; I can't do it. I can't leave. I don't want to." Kate said. "I don't want you to leave either." Tony whispered. "I don't know what to do." Kate said. "Do what you think is best for you." Tony said. "I'm staying." Kate said and with that she went over to her computer where she was typing her notice and hit the delete button. Kate really did want to stay home and take care of Aidan, Ethan, and McKenna but she felt like she still needed to be at NCIS, she felt that there was still a reason for her to be there. She knew that part of the reason was no one knew Tony better than her and she didn't want anyone else being his partner. She realized how lucky they were to have each other not just in life but at work as well.

To have someone you can laugh with …

Someone you can cry with…

And tell your secrets to…

To have someone who won't judge you…

Someone who just loves you…

No Matter what they stand beside you…

Some people aren't lucky like us….


	2. Let Me Sing

Let me sing.

Gibbs waited in the car for Erica to finish getting ready for school. Erica would soon be sixteen and Gibbs knew his days of taking her to school were about to end. Finally Erica was ready and made it to the car. On the way to her school Gibbs brought up the charity benefit that NCIS would be involved in, Jen's idea of course. "I already know about it Dad." Erica said. "You do?" Gibbs asked. "Yeah Jen told me. She also told me that you guys are looking for a variety of people to perform in a concert for it." Erica replied. "Well now that you bring it up you like a wide variety of music; who do you think we should get to perform?" Gibbs asked. "Well to tell you the truth I think you should let me perform." Erica said. "That's out of the question." Gibbs said. "But Dad, think about it. Who better to sing at this thing than the daughter of one of the agents?" Erica pointed out. "No Erica." Gibbs said as she got out of the car. "Please Dad let me sing, you know how much I love performing. Just think about it." Erica said as she shut the door and went to class.

Once Gibbs arrived at work he headed straight for Jen's office. "Jen I need to talk to you." Gibbs said as he entered her office. "About what?" Jen asked without looking up from her paperwork. "Erica." Gibbs replied. "What she do this time?" Jen asked. "She hasn't done anything yet. She wants to sing at the benefit." Gibbs said. "What's wrong with that?" Jen asked. "I have a bad feeling about it." Gibbs replied. "Listen Jethro, Erica has been through a lot this year let her have some fun. And you don't have too much to worry about after all the room will be filled with federal agents including you, Tony, and Kate. Erica will be fine. Let her sing." Jen said trying to persuade Gibbs that it was a good idea. "I'll think about it." Gibbs said

Later that night at home Gibbs, Jen, and Erica were eating dinner and everyone was silent throughout the meal. Finally Gibbs broke the awkward silence. "Erica you can sing." He said. "Thank-you." Erica said and she got up to give him a hug. She already knew what song she would perform it was song that meant so much to her. It's how she felt about her crazy family in Washington D.C. little did she know it was also Tony and Kate's favorite song.


	3. Erica Takes The Stage

Authors Note: The song Erica performs in this chapter is "I will be there for you" performed by Jessica Andrews.

Erica Takes the Stage

At the benefit the team was waiting for Erica to perform. It had been a long night already and if Erica hadn't been performing some members of the team would have already left. Gibbs had gone to check on Erica but was back now. "Erica will be performing any minute, everybody be supportive." Gibbs said. Just then the announcer took the stage. "Okay our final performance tonight is the young teenage daughter of NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs. Everyone give it up for Erica Gibbs." The announcer said and went to sit down. Seconds later Erica took the stage. "This song is for my father and his coworkers and friends, my friends, my family." Erica said. Then the music began.

When I lost faith…

You believed in me…

When I stumbled…

You were right there…

For every act of love you've done…

I owe you one…

Tony and Kate looked at each other. "That's our song Tony." Kate whispered. "I know." Tony whispered back and put his arm around her. Abby looked over to see her friends. Abby remembered that this was the song Tony and Kate danced to at their wedding.

There were hard times…

I know I survived…

Just because you stayed by my side…

With all I have…

With all I am…

I promise you all my life…

Whenever the road is too long…

Whenever the wind is too strong…

Wherever this journey may lead to…

I will be there for you…

Oh I will be there for you…

McGee and Abby listened to the words not only did this song apply to Tony and Kate it applied to them. They had had their share of hard times but they stayed together and things got better. It was amazing that Erica who had only known all of them for such a short time could pick a song that fit all of them. This song is more than how Erica felt it's all they all felt.

Though sorrow on the darkest night…

When there's heartache deep down inside…

Just like a prayer, you'll always be there…

And I promise you all my life…

Whenever the road is too long…

Whenever the wind is too strong…

Wherever this journey may lead to…

I will be there for you…

Oh I will be there…

As Gibbs sat and listened to his daughter sing this song he knew that his daughter finally felt at home with him. He felt that she was singing this song to him because he was there to help her through the hardest time of her life, her mother's death. But he knew this song was for Jen and his team because if it weren't for them neither he nor Erica would have made it through. This indeed was a song for the team. Now it was more than the love song that Tony and Kate considered to be their song. It was a song about love and trust and just being there for the people you care about. It was now the team's song, his family's song. After all his Erica and his team were his family and they would always be there for each other in one way or another.

Whenever the road is too long…

Whenever the wind is too strong…

Wherever this journey may lead to…

I will be there for you…

Oh I will be there for you…

I'll always be there…

"Thank-you." Erica said and took a bow then she exited the stage. The moving song had made the team think and brought the team to tears. Most of all it helped Erica express what she had been needing to say. It was one of those moments when time stood still but just how many more of those moments would they have?


End file.
